This extraction of data from the 1990 decennial Census
files (CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 1990 [UNITED STATES]: SUMMARY
TAPE FILES 3A AND 3B [ICPSR 9694, 9693]) was designed to provide a set
of contextual variables to be matched to any survey dataset that has
been coded for the geographic location of respondents. Over 120
variables were selected from original Census sources, and more than
100 variables were derived from those component variables. The
variables characterize geographic areas... (more info)

This extraction of data from the 1990 decennial Census
files (CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 1990 [UNITED STATES]: SUMMARY
TAPE FILES 3A AND 3B [ICPSR 9694, 9693]) was designed to provide a set
of contextual variables to be matched to any survey dataset that has
been coded for the geographic location of respondents. Over 120
variables were selected from original Census sources, and more than
100 variables were derived from those component variables. The
variables characterize geographic areas in terms of ethnicity, family
structures, income, education, labor force activity, and housing. The
geographic areas chosen range from neighborhoods (tracts, Block
Numbering Areas [BNAs], and Enumeration Districts [EDs]), through
intermediate levels of geography (Minor Civil Divisions and Census
County Divisions [MCDs/CCDs], census places, and ZIP codes), through
large economic areas (counties, Metropolitan Statistical Areas, State
Economic Areas [SEAs], and specially created Labor Market Areas
[LMAs]), and beyond to large regions (Economic Sub-Regions [ESRs] and
states). To the maximum extent possible, the investigator selected
Census variables that seemed relevant to problems associated with
poverty and income determination and that were present in comparable
form in the 1970 and 1980 Census datasets.